


Family Is The Tie That Binds

by loveisapolaroid



Category: The Umbrella Academy (Comics), The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Diego is a Good Brother, Reginald Hargreeves' A+ Parenting, i'll add more tags when i think of more to say, reginald really is an asshole, they deserved better than this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-08
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-11-13 18:28:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18036596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loveisapolaroid/pseuds/loveisapolaroid
Summary: Growing up, Vanya had always been the odd one out, the “ordinary” child of the seven of them. Having no powers should have made it easier to blend in with the rest of the world but instead it made her stand out from the rest of the family. You would think that having no powers would mean that Vanya stayed out of trouble and avoided the lectures and punishments that her father gave out to deter her and her siblings from misbehaving. Six times Vanya tried to stand up for/be a good sister to her siblings and the one time they really pull through for her.Rated M because I'm paranoid and for later chapters





	1. NUMBER TWO: DIEGO, THE KRAKEN

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends! I am so excited to be posting this as my first story here on AO3. I binged all of Umbrella Academy in like a day and half because I have no life so this was the result.  
> I'm literally obsessed.
> 
> OBSESSED.
> 
> Anyhoo, today we have some Diego and some Reginald with that A+ parenting. In my eyes, he wasn't just an asshole but did abuse them physically in some ways as well as the emotional abuse. What a swell man, am I right? 
> 
> *insert eye roll*
> 
> Alright here we go! Enjoy the first new chapter of "Family Is The Tie That Binds"

**NUMBER TWO: DIEGO, THE KRAKEN**

 

They were thirteen when Diego got his scar.

He had been practicing during their free-time and was working to perfect his new trick. Free time in the Academy was something that all the Hargreeves took advantage of, including The Monocle. During this time, Reginald could be found bunkered down in his office working on something, whether it be new training exercises, plans for a new mission or another way to make the lives of his children hell. During this time, all seven of his children knew he was not to be disturbed under any circumstances.

So, as per usual free-time, Diego could be found in the practice room, throwing knives at the targets with staggering accuracy. To anyone else, it would seem like he was on top of his game. Diego twisted and turned at an inhuman rate, tossing his daggers at the different targets around the room, some stationary, some moving. All hit with astounding accuracy, sinking into the bullseye with a _thunk_! Diego chucked his last dagger as he flipped over an imaginary assailant. As he landed, he watched as the last dagger hit its target and then fell to the ground.

 

“ _Damn it_!”

 

Growling in frustration, Diego took a second to bury his hands in his hair before moving to collect the daggers from the targets.

 

“Maybe you should take a break,” Suggested a soft voice from the doorway.

 

Diego whipped around, ready to tell off Allison for being up in his business yet again only to realize that it wasn’t Allison at all.

 

 _Vanya_.

 

What was she doing down here?

 

“What are you doing down here?” He asked roughly as he wiggled a dagger out of its place on a target, trying not to splinter the wood anymore than it already was.

 

Vanya bit her bottom lip, “I know I’m not supposed to, but I knew you were down here, and I got bored.”

 

It was a sort of unspoken rule that Vanya was to stay away from the training rooms when Dad, Pogo, or Mom was not with her. Anytime she was permitted in the training room., it was because Dad needed her to record or time something. He treated her like another means to train her siblings rather than a daughter. Diego felt guilty about that sometimes, their treatment of Vanya. He and the others didn’t mean to, but they did exclude their sister at times. Vanya didn’t have any powers, any means of protecting herself. If she would hang out with them, participate in their sparring matches and their trainings, she would get hurt.

 

Vanya was just too… _ordinary_.

 

A thought crossed Diego’s mind. What if Vanya could defend herself? If she was able to hold her own? Maybe dad would allow her to partic- well not _participate_ in their sparring but be present while they did it. To be _included_.

 

“Hey Vanya,” Diego turned to his sister with a rare smile on his face, “How would you like to learn how to throw a knife?”

 

His sister beamed, and quickly ran over to join him at the center of the mat.

 

Twenty minutes later, and Diego watched as Vanya threw three knives at three different targets.

 

 _Thump_!

 

 _Thump_!

 

 _Thum_ - ** _Clang!_**

 

Diego watched as the first two knives sunk into their targets. The first sunk into the outer ring of the bullseye, the second a lot closer to the target. The last dagger bounced off of the target and clattered to the ground. Vanya let out a defeated sigh while Diego chuckled next to her.

 

“Well two out of three isn’t bad,” Diego encouraged as he walked over to grab the knives from their targets and grab the fallen one off of the ground.

 

“It still isn’t good enough though,” Vanya pouted, crossing her arms over her chest.

 

“It’s going to take some practice before you get really good V,” Diego turned to walk back over to where his little sister stood, “It took me a while bef-“.

 

Diego cut off, his eyes darting past where Vanya stood, raising up to look someone in the eyes.

 

_Please be Mom or Pogo. Please be Mom or Pogo. Please be Mom or Po-_

 

_Shit._

 

“Number Two, Number Seven. You know the rules. What makes you think you don’t need to respect and abide by them?”

 

“Dad, I c-can explain...” Diego started to be cut off by his father. _Damn_ it, why was it anytime he tried to stand up for himself, or tell his father something, he could never manage to find the right words.

 

“You knew the rules,” Reginald began, moving into the training area, picking up a dagger on his way, “Now you must suffer the consequences for your actions. We will make an example out of you now, now won’t we.”

 

Reaching for the whistle in his pocket, Reginald blew the signifying whistle. In a short minute, the rest of their siblings were gathered in the room, looking around at each other with the same question hanging in the air.

 

What is going on?

 

“Children,” Reginald began, twisting the dagger between his long, deft fingers, “It has come to my attention that two of your siblings”, he gestured between where Diego and Vanya still stood, “have disobeyed and disregarded my rule. As you all know, Number Seven is not be included in _any_ training, including those taking place during free time.”

 

Reginald moved forward towards Diego and Vanya, and Diego placed himself in front of his sister.

 

“Don’t. Touch. Her.” Diego spat out, and Reginald smirked at him like he knew a secret.

 

“ _Oh, I’m not planning on it_ ,” Reginald grinned maliciously, “You, however, Number Two,” He reached out and snagged Diego by the arm, bringing the dagger up to his hairline, “are going to pay for your treachery.”

 

“T-Treachery? D-dad, I di-didn’t m-mean,” the rest of Diego’s remark was replaced with a scream as his dad leaned over him. Reginald wrapped one leg around his son’s and an arm around his son’s, ultimately trapping him and making it impossible to move any extremities. Reginald dug in with the tip of knife, deep into Diego’s hairline. He slowly dug out a jagged crooked line as Diego squirmed beneath him. Out of the corner of her eye, Vanya could see her siblings freeze as well.

 

_Isn’t anyone going to do something? Cry out? Stop him?_

 

Before she knew what she was doing, Vanya was rushing forward with a cry of her own.

 

“STOP IT!”

 

The knife hit the ground with a clatter, Reginald startled by his usually solemn daughter’s sudden outburst. As Reginald took a step back, detangling himself from Diego who dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Vanya rushed to her brother’s side, gathering him in her lap. Ripping off her uniform’s tie, she did her best to apply pressure to his wound using her tie. Holding off of the instinct to call out for their mother, Vanya looked up at their father with the coldest glare she could muster with tears streaming down her face.

 

“It wasn’t his fault. It was mine.” She snapped, her own voice colder than she had ever heard it.

 

“Hmm, is this true Number Two?” Reginald asked, his gaze leaving Vanya long enough to take in the bloodied state of his “son”.

 

“Yes,” Diego spat, his own warm blood running down the slope face and into his mouth. The metallic taste coupled with the spinning of his head from the blood loss.

 

“Well if that is the case, Number Seven, you will share in this punishment after all,” Reginald walked over to where Vanya sat on the mat, holding her brother tightly on her lap.

 

Yanking her upper arm, causing Vanya to yelp, Reginald pulled her over to where one of the larger targets sat, “Stay here. Do not move.”

 

Reginald walked back over to where Diego sat on the floor, still clutching his head, “On your feet Number Two.”

 

Diego shakily rolled to the balls of his feet and staggered over to where his father stood in the middle of the room. Reginald reached down and collected a handful of daggers off of the floor, and shoved them into Diego’s sweaty, bloodied palms.

 

“This,” Reginald began, turning to address the other children who were frozen still in shock, “Is what your insolence can result in. Number Two, you will throw seven daggers. Seven for seven.”

 

It was at that moment that someone finally snapped back to their senses, “This is bullshit.”

 

Reginald whipped around to see Number Five standing with his arms crossed, “You will watch your tone boy.”

 

Five had the balls to roll his eyes, “Or what?”

 

Reginald smirked, “Number Two, take that tie off of your forehead and give it to me.”

 

Clumsily, Diego did as he asked, pulling off the makeshift gauze and handing it to his father. Never in a million years did Diego think that his father would take and bind the cloth around his eyes.

 

“Now,” Reginald stepped back, “Begin.”

 

Diego inhaled deeply, and whispered lowly, “I’m so sorry Vanya.” Said girl had her eyes squeezed shut and was doing her best to make herself as small as possible.

 

“Number Two. We’re waiting.” Came the impatient voice of their father.

 

 _Okay_ , Diego thought, _you’ve got this. V is going to be just fine._

 

One.

 

 _Thunk_!

 

Two.

 

 _Thunk_!

 

Three.

 

 _Thunk_!

 

Four

 

 _Thunk_!

 

Five.

 

 _Thunk_!

 

Six.

 

 _Thunk_!

 

Seven.

 

 _Thu_ -

 

The sound of the last dagger sinking into the wood was cut off by Vanya’s cry of pain. Diego ripped off the blindfold only to see Vanya clutching her right ear in pain. When she removed her hand, Diego could see even more blood. Although, it was hard to tell which blood belonged to her and what blood belonged to him. Glancing towards their siblings, Luthor was holding a crying Allison, and Klaus and Ben were holding back a livid Five.

 

“Let this be a lesson to you all,” Their father looked unamused as he cleaned his monocle off with a pocket handkerchief, “Follow the rules or suffer the consequences. Lessons are cancelled from the rest of today. Clean that blood up off the mat.”

 

The moment he left the room, their siblings rushed forward. Five blinking to Vanya’s side in an instant while Luthor and Klaus rocketed forward to grab at Diego as his dead weight pitched forward. All this happened while Allison screamed from Mom.

 

At the end of the day, both Vanya and Diego gained a new physical scar as well as an emotional one. Diego pulled away even further from his sister who became even more isolated and withdrawn. After Five disappeared, it didn’t take much more time for Vanya to segregate herself completely.

 

The reminder of her mundane existence, that she was nothing special and never would be, hung over her head every day. The reminder was carved into the side of her brother’s face.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well. 
> 
> Shit. 
> 
> That was dark. 
> 
> I promise they all won't be that dark. Sheesh, where did my brain go to write this. This is just a way I imagine that Diego could have gotten the scar; being a protective older brother. And my poor little baby Vanya, just wanting to fit in with her siblings.
> 
> Well, leave a comment if you liked it I guess and I'll see you next time!


	2. NUMBER ONE - LUTHER, SPACEBOY

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW. I am astounded at how much everyone loved this story and so so so grateful for the support I have received. This is just crazy! Here is the second chapter with a little less angst and some more fluff :D It's shorter that the last one, I know, I am so sorry. College is crazy rn with everything that is going on so I am doing my best.

**NUMBER ONE: LUTHER, SPACEBOY**

The team was not on their A game that day; everyone was arguing or distracted. Hostages had been hurt or killed, and the men responsible had almost gotten away. Worse of all was what happened at the very end of the mission. Luther had been running the perimeter with the police when the men burst through the outer door. The police had yelled for them to put their hands up and drop their weapons. Ben and Allison had been right behind the men, Allison trying to rumor them to stop where they were. These men were prepared though. Earplugs shoved into their ears prevented them from hearing her.

 

When confronted by the police, three out of the four men raised their hands, and dropped their guns. The four man though? Luther watched almost in slow motion as he raised the rifle and pulled back the trigger. Luther only had half a second to react but managed to shove the cop the criminal had been aiming at out of the way. Pain exploded in his abdomen, and he fell to the ground to the sound of Allison’s scream.

 

Vanya had been listening to the mission chatter in HQ with Grace when the call had come through.

 

 **“Luther is down!”** Ben yelled

 

 **“What is your location Number Six?”** Came the calm reply of her father.

 

 **“Oh my god, he’s losing too much blood. Luther! _Luther_!” **Vanya could hear the frantic cries of her sister as she panicked.

 

Vanya could feel her heart drop into her stomach.

 

 **“Klaus and I are on our way! Location?”** Diego asked, huffing as he and Klaus ran towards where the others were.

 

 **“Far northwest corner of the building, hurry!”** Ben bellowed through the com **.** There was a slight pause and then Five could be heard talking to a crying Allison, **“A, you’ve got to move. I have to put pressure on this. Ben, give me your shirt, we need…”**

 

Five’s voice was cut out by static and Vanya could feel tears start to well up. Oh god, it was really bad this time. She could hear her father yelling at Five to jump him back to the Academy but she knew Five hadn’t mastered that skill yet. The best they could do was to get Luther home so Grace and Pogo could do their best to help him.

 

Vanya let herself be pulled by Grace to the medical bay. There they met Pogo and began to prep the medical supplies that would be necessary to save Luther.

 

Her siblings burst through the academy doors, yelling for Grace and Pogo. Diego and Ben laid Luther down on the table. Vanya couldn’t help but notice how ashen and clammy he looked.

 

“Grace!” Pogo yelled from across the room where he had been ducked down, looking into the fridge that held the blood bags that they kept in case of a transfusion being needed, “We’re out of blood!"

 

“Nonsense,” Reginald grabbed a needle and tube off of a nearby table and turned to the children crowded into the small room, “We have blood right here.”

 

One of the even more interesting aspects about the Umbrella Academy children were that no matter the fact that they were all adopted from different mothers and parts of the world, they were all the same blood type.

 

The room erupted in a flurry of movements and noise. Five and Ben stepped forward, both volunteering. Diego took a step back, plastering himself against the far back wall and trying to make himself as small as possible. Klaus, still holding a crying Allison, knew his blood was probably too tainted with everything he had been taking and smoking as of later. Allison was in no condition to be doing much of anything. In fact, Vanya would bet she would be a crumpled ball, crying on the floor.

 

“I’ll do it,” Vanya said in a soft voice.

 

No one seemed to hear her.

 

“I’ll do it,” She tried again, raising the volume of her voice.

 

The arguing continued.

 

Vanya took in a deep breath, “ _Hey_!”

 

Her yell had everyone’s heads snapping to look at her in shock. Vanya never raised her voice, ever. In all honesty, they didn’t even know her voice could get that loud.

 

“Number Seven?” Her father inquired, the question mirrored in all of their faces reflected in his tone.

 

“I said I’ll do it.” Vanya stated quietly, one hand reaching up to push her bangs out of her face so he could see the seriousness residing in her gaze. She motioned around at her siblings, “Luther is hurt, he’s probably going to be on bed rest for a while. We don’t need another one of you out of commission while you recover from donating.”

 

She opted to avoid the gazes of her siblings that ranged from surprised to shocked. Instead, she looked at her father. Reginald had a calculating look on his face. Vanya was sure that he was going to tell her no until he broke eye contact with her and gave a quick nod to Grace, “Very well, Number Seven."

 

Grace directed her to a chair and was quick to tie off her arm with a tourniquet. Vanya fidgeted while Grace prepared the needle but stopped as she felt pressure on her right hand.

 

Turning her head, Vanya was shocked to see Ben standing, still covered in splotches of Luther’s blood, holding her hand reassuringly. He offered her a small smile and gave her hand a quick squeeze. Behind him, Vanya could see Five hovering. When he saw her looking, he flashed her a reassuring grin. Well, as reassuring as Five could be she guessed.

 

“Now dear,” Vanya turned to see Grace holding the needle, “You may feel a slight pinch.”

 

Vanya just nodded, “I’m ready mom.”

 

Vanya scrunched her nose at the pinch of the needle entering her vein, squeezing Ben’s hand as she did so. Ben didn’t mind, he stood there beside her, letting her take comfort in someone else being there.

 

Vanya didn’t mind needles, they didn’t scare her like they did Diego, but she wasn’t accustomed to them like Klaus was.

 

But as she watched her blood fill up the bag, the crimson liquid sloshing in the empty spaces until there was no more, she did feel a little queasy.

 

Grace removed the needle, placed a piece of gauze over her vein with a piece of tape, “Alright, all done.” She quickly turned to Pogo with the blood so they could set up a transfusion.

 

“How do you feel?” Five asked softly, and she turned to see him and Ben looking at her with worry.

 

“I’m fine,” Vanya said, letting go of Ben’s hand and moving to stand up.

 

Five and Ben moved to either side as she did so, Five’s arm moving to support her, “I’m sure you are but that was a lot of blood. Take it slow.” He instructed.

 

Vanya resisted the urge to roll her eyes in front of her father. She was always looked at as their little sister even though they had all been born on the same day. Luther being the “oldest” and Vanya being the “youngest”. It didn’t help that she really was a smallest. It was even worse that she didn’t have any powers. She was looked upon as breakable. Weak. Someone who needed protected. She didn’t need protecting.

 

“Five, I’m _fine_.” Vanya protested, shaking off his arm and stepping forward.

 

Only to have her weight pitched backward the shouts of her siblings, feeling someone’s arms wrap around her and yank her up before she succumbed to the darkness.

☂️☂️☂️

When she woke up, the room was quiet. There was a steady beep of a heart-machine and steady breathing coming from beside her. Tentatively opening her eyes, Vanya quickly snapped them shut again. The lights were just _too damn bright_. Cracking them open again, she blinked and allowed her eyes to adjust. Looking to her left, she realized where the breathing was coming from.

 

 _Allison_.

 

She was breathing deeply, indicating that she was fast asleep. Glancing upwards, Vanya could see that Luther’s shirt was removed, and his midsection had been wrapped with what looked like gauze. Her eyes scanned over his injuries, and she jumped suddenly as she heard someone lightly clear their throat.

 

Brown met blue.

 

“You’re awake,” Vanya mumbled, still shaking off the drowsiness.

 

Luther gave her a small smile, “I’m _alive_ , Vanya, thanks to you.” He reached out and took her much smaller hand in his own and gave it a squeeze.

 

“S’not a big deal,” Vanya murmured, her cheeks heating up. She chose to focus on Allision instead.

 

“Where is everyone?” Vanya asked, sitting up, and stretching her arms above her.

 

“Dad kicked everyone out after you passed out and Pogo and Mom started my surgery. A snuck back in a while ago. I think Mom knows she’s here but doesn’t have the heart to kick her out,” He reached down and brushed some of Allision’s hair away from her face. She shifted in her sleep, causing both of them to freeze. They sighed in relief when she resumed her deep breathing.

 

“She was really worried,” Vanya whispered, “I know you two have always been close…”

 

They eased into a not so comfortable silence after that.

 

“I’m going to go see if Mom has any ibuprofen,” Vanya commented, getting up and rubbing her throbbing temples, “I’ll let her know you’re awake.”

 

Luther nodded and shifted to lean against the wall behind his cot as Vanya reached the door.

 

And well, if he saw Luther smile down at Allison’s sleeping form with a gaze that looked a little more than brotherly affection, that was none of her business.

 

Later, brushing off the comments from her siblings that she had been the real hero that day, Vanya couldn’t help but be grateful that her family was alright for once thanks to her ordinariness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As of right now, this story has 252 Kudos, and 52 bookmarks. Ya'll rock! ❤


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